Bridle.



A. .l. HENTSCHEL.

BRIDLE. APPLICATION min memo, 1914.

1,172,207. Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

ANDREW J. HENTSCHEL, 0F SGI-IULENBURG, TEXAS.

BRIDLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

' Application filed December 10, 1914. Serial No. 876,462.

ToaZZ whom it may concern I Be it known that I, Annnnw J. HENT- SCHEL, acitizen of the United States, re-

siding at Schulenburg, in the county of Fayette, State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridles; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The present'invention relates to bridles, and more particularly to abridle wherein means for controlling and guiding the horse is provided.

The type follows that disclosed in my application #833,261 filed Apr.20, 1914 and allowed Aug. 27, 1914.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of controlling meansso that the horse may be either guided or prevented from running away,the latter provision being made because of the fact that the ordinarydriving bit will not control an unruly horse.

A further object resides in the provision of means which willeffectively prevent the horse from attempting to displace the device byrubbing it against an object.

A still further object lies in constructing the device in such mannerthat when a horse -is being guided to turn to either the right or leftthe right or left rein, respectively, will be used.

lVith these and other objects in view, such as will appear as thedescription progresses, my invention comprises the combination andarrangement of parts as set forth in and falling within the scope oftheappended claims.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device,showing the same applied to a horse, the horses head being shown indotted lines. Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a planview of the device, the supporting strap being omitted. Fig. 4 is asection on line 4t of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing wherein like parts are indicated by likecharacters throughout the several views: The device consists of a rigidframe 1 which is of substantial U-shape and is constructed to fit thecontour of a horses nose. The inner face of this frame 1 is lined withsoft material, such as felt or leather, which lining is indicated by thereference character 2. The up per and lower edges of this frame areturned over and strengthened by pieces of wire 3.

In order that the frame may be maintained in its proper position upon ahorse, I have provided on the forward portion and on the upper edge ofthe frame, a loop, 1 to which the nose strap 5 is attached. On the rearends of the frame, loops 6 are secured to which the cheek straps 7 areattached.

In order that pressure may be applied to the nostrils of a horse, I havesecured to the ends of the frame 1 a U-shaped member 8 which extendsaround the frame and is slightly spaced from the outer face thereof. Theforward portion of this member 8 is substantially W-shape in crosssection, while the rear ends of the member terminate in superposed tubes9 and 10. On the bight portion of the frame 1 is pivotally mountedadjacent the upper edge thereof a bell crank lever 11, to one arm ofwhich is connected a link 12 which link extends transversely across thebight portion of the said frame and is secured to a pressure member 13between the ends thereof, the said pressure member being pivoted to themember 8, at 14, and having a loop 15 on the other end thereof. Thisloop 15 normally lies in the space between the U-shaped member 8 and theouter face of the frame 1, but is conto that on which the loop 15 islocated. Connected to this head is a rod 19 which extends through thesaid tube 9 and projects from the rear end thereof. Encircling this rod19 is a coil spring 20 which bears against the head 18 at one end andagainst an adj ustable sleeve 21 which is screw-threaded into the end ofthe tube 9 and through which the rod 19 passes. Adjustably secured onthe end of the rod 19 is a line ring 22 to which the ordinary drivingline or rein 23 is secured. A similar mechanism is used in applyingpressure to the other nostril of the horse, the bell crank lever 24being pivoted below the horizontal plane of the lever 11 .from rubbingthe device against a stationary cured to the end thereof and which isconnected to the lever 24 by a rod 29 and is spring pressed inwardly bythe coil spring a 30 similar to the spring 20. A sleeve 81 is adjustablyconnected to the end of the tube 9 on the opposite side of the framefrom the sleeve 21. In order that these rods 19 and 27 may be heldrigidly to the frame 1 so that when the lines are pulled, the pressuremembers will not be operated, I have mounted, adjustably, on the rods 19and 2'7, sleeves 32, which are externally threaded and are constructedto interengage with internal threads on the sleeves 21 and 31.

By the construction above described it will be seen that when force isapplied to either of the rods 19 or 27 that the corresponding pressuremember will be operated to apply pressure to the nostril of a horse sothat he will be guided when the sleeves 32 are not engaged with thesleeves 21 and 31. However, when these sleeves 32 are engaged with thesleeves 21 and 31 when force is applied to either one or both of thelines the pressure members will not be actuated as will be seen from aninspection of the drawings. It will be further seen that by adjustingthe sleeves 21 and 31 the tension of the springs 20 and 80 may be variedat will so that either a great or small pull on the driving lines willbe required to operate the pressure members.

In order that the frame 1 will be resiliently held on the horses nose, Ihave mounted rods 33 in the tubes 10, which rods are held inwardly bycoil springs 34; and to the ends of which a chin piece 35 is secured,which encircles the chin of the horse in the usual manner.

In order that the horse may be prevented object and thus displacing theframe, I have lmounted, resiliently, on the inner face of the frame 1 aplurality of members 86 which have prongs on the ends thereof, whichprongs prick the flesh of the horses nose when he attempts to displacethe frame, but which yield when great pressure is applied thereto sothat the horse will not be permanently injured.

It will be seen that I have provided a de vice by means of which a horsemay be effectively guided under ordinary conditions and one which may beso adjusted that when I force is applied to the reins the horse willbecontrolled should he assume an unruly attitude; 1

While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of myinvention, I have merely done-so-for the sake ofconvenience and I do notwish to be limited to thatparticular embodiment as it is obvious thatnumerous changes may be made in the details of construction thereofwithout de-' parting from the spirit of the invention or exceeding thescope of the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a bridle, a frame, levers pivoted to the saidframe, pressure members connected;

to the levers and arranged to engage the nostrils of a horse, meansconnected to said I pressure members for actuating the same, the saidlast mentioned means for each pressure member being located on theopposite;

side of the frame to the pressure member itself and means for renderingsaid operating means inoperative.

A bridle comprising a frame,a U-

shaped member secured to the frame and in rendering said actuating meansinoperative. g

3. In a bridle, a U-shaped frame having apertures on the opposite sidesthereof, a U-shaped member secured to thesaid frame at the ends thereofand in spacedrelation to the outer face of said frame, pressure memi 5:

bers pivotally mounted on the said U-shaped member and constructed andarranged to normally lie in the space between the frame and the U-shapedmember, means'for actuating said pressure members, resilient means 1-?-tendingto prevent said actuation, means to vary the tension of sandresllient means and means to prevent the {tOtlltltlOIlOf the saidactuating means.

In testimony whereof, IafiiX mysignature, in the presence of twowitnesses 7 ANDREW J; HENrsoHnnf Witnesses:

LoUIs MOTAL, J OHAN F. MALsHA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

